VANCOUVER 鈥� Marie-Philip Poulin still gets a little emotional as she stands at centre ice in a packed arena, hearing O Canada.
The hockey legend knows her eyes may get misty on Wednesday before her Montreal Victoire line up to face the Toronto Sceptres in Vancouver.
鈥淚 think I'm getting old. I think I'm getting a little softer," Poulin said with a grin. "No, I think it's always very awesome. It's always such a privilege to be able to be in these buildings and big crowds. So I don't take it for granted.鈥�
Rogers Arena is where Poulin played her first Olympic hockey game back in 2010, helping Canada to a gold medal on home ice.
Now it will be the setting for another first as her league-leading Victoire (3-2-1-1) and the Sceptres (2-0-1-4) battle in the first Canadian stop of the PWHL's "Takeover Tour."
The nine-game expedition began at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, where the Victoire fell 3-2 to the Boston Fleet in a shootout on Sunday.
More than 12,000 fans took in the game. Merchandise was so popular it had to be stripped off mannequins before employees put up a "sold out" sign.
"The demand is real," said Jayna Hefford, the league's senior vice president of hockey operations. "I think we thought it was, and now we get to see it and feel it."
Fans in both Victoire and Sceptres jerseys milled around the gates at Rogers Arena on Tuesday afternoon, hoping to catch a glimpse of their favourite players.
The fact that people living thousands of kilometres away from Montreal own Victoire gear shows the PWHL is a movement, Poulin said
"Honestly, seeing kids wearing different jerseys with our names on with different logos, for us, that's what it's all about," she said. "We want to grow the league. We're doing this by playing our best. We're just putting our best product on the ice, and it's been amazing to see.鈥�
Currently in its second season, the six-team league is already looking to the future and could expand as soon as the 2025-26 campaign.
Visiting cities across North America this year gives the league a chance to test out future markets, Hefford said.
Each stop will be evaluated on a number of factors, including economic potential, partnerships and facilities. Travel logistics will also be weighed, she said, as teams currently use commercial flights to get from one game to another.
鈥淭his whole tour is about learning 鈥� learning different markets and fan bases and buildings and support that we have," Hefford said. "So it's just great to be able to play in these markets. But we're constantly trying to learn what the right growth move is for us.鈥�
Other cities on the tour include Quebec City, where Montreal will take on the Ottawa Charge on Jan. 19, and Edmonton, where Toronto will face Ottawa on Feb. 16. Games will also be held in Denver, Detroit, St. Louis, Buffalo, N.Y. and Raleigh, N.C.
Other markets wanted in on the tour, too, and could get an opportunity to host in the future, said Amy Scheer, the league's vice president of business operations.
鈥淚 can't imagine that this is something that would go away soon," she said. "I think it's something that we enjoy doing, and it's about audience growth for us. We need to continue to build our fan base. It's critical.鈥�
Part of that growth includes hosting open practices and hockey clinics for kids at each stop.
The community engagement shows that the league does business "the right way," Scheer said.
For players, meeting young fans and spending time with them on the ice is also a chance to reflect.
"It's just goes back to where I was when I was a kid. I wanted to be there one day and being able to give them that dream and beyond. I think for us it's unbelievable," Poulin said.
"And honestly, being able to connect in clinics, just sometimes beyond the hockey player, you take that helmet off, and you'll be able to have a conversation with them. I think it goes a long way. And you gotta remember that, that's for sure.鈥�
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 7, 2025.
Gemma Karstens-Smith, The Canadian Press
